Travel Guides

Wewurukannala Temple

Not all Buddhist temples are ancient, nor are they all
conservative affairs. The colourful and modern Wewurukannala Temple
at Dikwella village near Matara is quite an eyeful, featuring
hundreds of brightly painted and gilded models depicting scenes
from the life of Buddha and numerous murals. There is also a Buddha
effigy that is one of the world's tallest, equalling the height of
a five-storey building, which visitors can ascend to enjoy the view
from the top.

The Buddha statue is the biggest in Sri Lanka, and other
attractions at the temple include a resident elephant, a colourful
Image House containing statues of gods and royalty, and the
frightening Hall of Sin, which illustrates what is in store for the
less-than-righteous in the Buddhist version of hell. Although it is
an active temple and tourists should be respectful of worshippers,
the temple complex is also full of various touts and salesmen
trying to sell things and services to visitors. Those wanting to
avoid the crowds should visit early in the morning.

The temple is a short drive from both Dikwella and Matara and
can be reached by tuk-tuk - just be sure to negotiate a price
before setting off!